Non Liquet
by GrangerBlackPotter
Summary: Hermione Granger wasn't able to escape Malfoy Manor as Lucius bound Hermione with an incarcerous before she could get to Harry and Ron who apparated with Dobby, leaving her alone as Voldemort and Death Eaters came for her. Family curses, time-travel and romantic drama ensues as Hermione finds out her true identity.(cover:silverstorme) (sporadic updates ; NOT ABANDONED)
1. Chapter 1: donation mortis causa

**Author's Notes:** First of all, I do not own Harry Potter. Second, this AU is a bit dark, so you might want to skip it if you're uncomfortable with deaths. Third, I'm still debating if this will solely be an SBHG oneshot, a multi-chaptered fanfic or if this should be a Hermione x Multi one-shot/multi-chaptered fic so watch out for booby traps.

 **Chapter One: donation mortis causa**

 _"_ _And the first heiress of this House shall fall in time, where pain and suffering will plague her day and night. Born as the ninth month begins to close, the family she's born again is doomed to fall. Her power and might shall be for the light, but darkness shrouds her House in fight. Fear not for she's destined to return, as the last scion of the house falls. And the first heiress of this House shall fall in time…"_

Lucius Abraxas Malfoy does not believe in fates, in curses and prophecies, all except for one.

The one that's decidedly for his House.

The one that broke their family in two.

As the Patriarch of House Malfoy after his father's death, the wards of Malfoy Manor renewed it's allegiance to the House through him.

The heir of House Malfoy.

And right now, as he watched his sister-in-law sent curse after curse to Potter's mudblood friend, he could feel the wards reacting and _healing_ the sprawled out witch – he ignored it then.

That was his first mistake.

His second mistake was binding her and not letting her get away with the Potter scion and the Weasley boy.

Now, here he was, watching in most definite horror as the Dark Lord, the one he promised to follow, sent hex after hex at the witch as she slowly started to change right in front of him.

"What's wrong Lucius? You didn't know it was _her_ all along?" he heard the Dark Lord taunted, which made him snap towards the _thing_ with a blink.

"My lord? I don't understa – " he started but he was cut off.

"Bella! Do a simple charm for me, will you? A simple paternity charm?" he heard the _thing,_ simpered at his deranged sister-in-law.

When the letters flowed above the broken body of the witch in front of them, he felt his heart dropped as his body completely gave out on him as he collapsed on his knees.

Because there, in the writing associated to his house, was the name he thought he'd never see.

 ** _MIA ALESSANDRA MALFOY_**

 **DAUGHTER - ABRAXAS AND FREJA MALFOY**

 **SIBLING - LUCIUS ABRAXAS MALFOY**

 **GRANDDAUGHTER - SEPTIMUS AND EVGENIA MALFOY**

 **GREAT GRAND-DAUGHTER –**

His face contorted to one into horror as he watched his family tree slowly form – and from behind him, he could hear his son dry heaving.

But it was worse for him.

Indeed, _for him_ , the worst has happened.

He _found his sister,_ the one he's been looking for, for so many years – _'_ _Mia Alessandra Malfoy,'_ he read the name again, and the next time he looked away, he completely broke down on his knees and wept.

He _cried_.

He _apologized_.

He crept up to her and held her hand and apologized as he cried over and over and over.

"I should have known"

"I was looking for you, for so long"

The words left his lips and bled a thousand times as he completely lost it in front of his family, the gathered Death Eaters and the Dark Lord himself.

"Tut tut Lucius, how pathetic you and your father were" he heard the thing say again and he had to bite his lips until it bled for how he must look right now.

 _Mia Alessandra Malfoy._

He remembered, as well as he should, since _he_ was the one who gave her the name.

 _He was sitting at his father's study then with his father whose probably on his fifth cigar. They were waiting for his mother who went to a healer to confirm whether or not she was pregnant._

 _"_ _It's to be a girl" he heard his mother confirm once she located them both at the study. He immediately stood from where he was sitting to greet his mother when the woman in question gave him a slow shake of the head and headed towards his father and pulled the unlit cigar from between his father's lips and vanished it with a flourish._

 _He heard his father's breath catch._

 _A girl?_

 _A sister?_

 _He's to have a sister?_

 _He mused as he saw his parents whisper arguably to each other._

 _From the corner of his eyes he saw his father's hand tightening his grip on his cane as his brow creased in concern and anger._

 _He knew what this meant._

 _The story was told by his Governor over and over, how his ancestor, Nicholas Malfoy, supposedly killed many muggles during the Black Death era and guised them as victims of it. Of course, it was never proven by the Wizarding Council, but it was, as far as his family history is concerned, close to the truth, considering there was a family curse passed down from generation to generation of Malfoy men._

 _A hag, whose muggle lover was killed by his ancestor, cursed their House to bore only one son per generation, to continue the line, and when the time came, that a woman is birthed in the family, she shall face the most hardships and will be plagued by death always at her doorstep._

 _And so the story has been told._

 _And now here they are, his mother confirmed to be carrying his baby sister in her womb._

 _A sister – a girl, he still couldn't believe it._

 _He turned to his parents to gauge her reaction, but when he did, he wished he didn't._

 _"_ _My baby girl" he heard his mother say before she broke into a sob._

 _He saw his father holding her as he saw his father's eyes mist in both guilt and shame._

 _A few minutes passed and it seemed that his parents finally remembered of his attendance in the room and acknowledged him with an apology, to which he just most easily dismissed as he has far more questions than concerns._

 _"_ _What shall be her name?" he asked after another beat of silence._

 _"_ _What do you think would fit appropriately?" his mother countered, making his eyes bulge out of his sockets._

 _"_ _I can name my baby sister?" he asked, clearly overwhelmed._

 _"_ _Just don't name her without thinking" he heard his father scoff from the side._

 _In truth, he could feel that his father was holding himself back. He knew, that this baby girl, before she's even born, will be doted by him and both their parents, and he just took the opportunity from his father to give her baby sister a name fit for a warrior, his mother said._

 _"_ _Mia Alessandra" he told them after a while_

 _"_ _Mia Alessandra Malfoy" he declared again, this time, with certainty and pride._

 _He turned to his parents to gauge their reaction and his eyes brimmed with love and pride when he saw them smiling at the name with approval before he heard his father's words before he was dismissed._

 _"_ _You must take care of him Lucius. You must always look after your sister"_

That was his most solid memory of both his parents.

And of course, of course he was bound to fail, even his father knew that, and it was all because of the Malfoy curse.

They were all naïve, a long time ago. They thought that if they were careful in raising her, leave her under the protection of the most powerful families in Wizarding Britain, that they could _save her_ from the curse somehow. That if she's to be named under a different name, sent to a different place, protected under a different life, she'll live.

So, as soon as she was born, on September 19, 1960, she was immediately betrothed to Sirius Orion Black III, heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, through a blood contract that bound both families together.

Dorea Potter nee Black and Lyall Lupin were named godparents almost immediately as well, tying four _powerful_ families together.

And for a few years they studied the curse over and over until they were able to breathe, as they all watched the girl grew into herself.

Until his sister's _sixth_ birthday.

He was already a first year student at Hogwarts then, he remembered vividly, he was called on the 19th of September for his attendance to his sister's birthday. It was to be a family event – it was always a family event when it comes to his sister, after all.

The Blacks were in attendance, of course, as well as the Potters and the Lupins.

He remembered the Black brothers hovering over her sister then, as the Lupin boy and the Potter boy watch in amusement as five year old Regulus Black held his sister's right hand while Sirius Black was tugging her from her left hand.

They were just playing then, that much was certain, when all of a sudden, they heard a detached voice speaking as if it was whispering at their ears.

 _'_ _Consummatum est'_ it whispered to them, and it took him a few seconds before it clicked and translated in his head as he turned to watch her sister being bitten by an almost translucent snake before escaping.

He watched in horror as his sister fell and the four boys stared in annoyance at their _friend who fell asleep,_ and the most horrifying screech was heard from his mother then.

The next events were a flurry of horrifying activity of connecting his sister's magical core to their sentient House, then to immediately adults weaving spell after spell to protect her as they all know, her sister is now bound to _'_ _fall in time'_ and they were still naïve then to think – they thought that any resemblance to the Malfoy's would definitely tip her off and endanger her, unknowing of the time and place she will be sent.

She was given a permanent glamour, her new identity hidden even to him, for her own safety. And as her sister fade into nothingness, and his mother wept along with the other women in the room, he was left to care for the four boys that were traumatized to see their friend and intended in Sirius' case, fall.

It was decided, not later then, that the boys are to be obliviated – including him.

They refused.

He, most of all.

He does not want to forget his sister after all.

But in the end, his father won, and he was obliviated of his sister's new identity, while the boys were obliviated of her existence altogether.

They mourned for a full year after that. The boys stopped coming over as well, and the four Houses were divided again as the one that connected them no longer with them.

The downside or upside, depending on who looks at it, was that, in place of his sister, he needed to be betrothed to someone in the Black family, who, as it happens, had three girls through Cygnus Black, Orion's cousin, who immediately recommended his youngest, Narcissa Black, who he now have as a wife.

The four families drifted apart, and was more divided as soon as the boys that he once watched grow up, reached their eleventh birthday and started coming to Hogwarts themselves.

It was inevitable, for those three to band together, he thought back then, even after obliviation.

Walburga was rightfully incensed that her eldest son immediately took on the two boys with him – the one, Lyall's son, was now a known werewolf boy amongst all the pureblood families, while Dorea's son, was more trouble than he's always worth.

It reminded Walburga more of what they lost.

Connections to then prized Houses.

Had his sister lived, she's to be the next Lady Black, god-daughter to a Potter and a Lupin, but then that was hashed as soon as his sister _faded_. And as Sirius aged, it seemed that her son refused to settle down and live up to the family name now that his intended has already _gone_ , so she resorted to forcing him to do as the family should.

Until he ran away.

And then Voldemort rose to power, and his father, being too heartbroken, was promised knowledge by the Dark Lord, to do as he wishes and he shall help them find her – _'_ _I am the heir of Slytherin, I know magic, most people do not – is it not that the one that took your daughter was a snake?'_ he remembered the man promising his father, hence their allegiance to him in the first war.

The Potters immediately denounced them thereafter.

The Lupins followed.

The Blacks remained steadfast beside them, but mostly because Narcissa was already to be wed to him.

It was disaster after disaster, but still, he persevered.

His father refused to give him knowledge about his sister – _'_ _She needs to be protected from us'_ he could remember him saying to him every time he asked, only to hear the same man asking the Dark Lord whether his resources were still lacking in tracking down knowledge about his _treasure_.

The Dark Lord was _vanquished_ before any knowledge was put forth about his sister.

He never hated a baby more than he hated Harry James Potter then and even years after.

He was the reminder of knowledge that he lost.

"My lord, spare her, take me instead" he managed to blurt out after a while.

"Her life – my lord, spare her, kill me instead" he begged, as he distantly heard the shouts of his beloved wife and son.

"And what would I do with your life Lucius? It's her I need here. Surely you know, that Harry Potter would miss his _mudblood friend_ and _rescue her_ " again, he bit his lips at that.

He turned to his sister whose breath was starting to turn shallow and his heart broke as he watched the family curse bring her to her knees.

"It's a curse Lucius, surely you know how it works" he heard the Dark Lord say once more but then he was beyond listening at that point.

The world tuned out as he felt the wards of the sentient house of his ancestors respond to the girl lying prostrate on their parlour.

 _'_ _Her magical core is connected to the house_ ' he thought, as all his research about time magic reared at the front of his mind.

'One last magic, for you' he thought as he immediately gripped his wand and casted the strongest wards he knew between him, his sister and everyone else in the room as he silently sent an apology to his wife and son, as he chanted the darkest blood magic that he knew.

 _"_ _ab aeterno, ab antiquo. Tempus consumens, tempus rediit. ab aeterno, ab antiquo"_

He chanted twice as he felt his magic being siphoned out of him and directly towards the light enveloping the slight frame of his sister whose slowly regaining his consciousness.

This was the darkest magic relating to time – being blood magic, this was also part of those forbidden to be practiced by anyone as what it basically does, is send someone back in time, but at a price of life and magic.

As his magic started draining out of him and towards the witch, he could feel the wards he built being broken from all sides and he hastened his pace if at all possible, and as the wards fell, and the first spell hit him, he could feel her slipping away – just like she did all those years ago.

And as he was left to bleed to his death together with his entire family, he smiled as he realized that he won, somehow, as he indeed manage to send his sister back in time – now all that's left is for his family to act.

This future will definitely be no more.

 **-end notes-**

 **TELL ME IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE!**

Also, I'm working full time and studying law at the same time so I'll probably update, if ever, only once a week (Sunday's, I think, as it's the only day I have no work or classes) so you'll have to forgive me for that, okay? Okay.

 **THANKS FOR READING!**

 **-GrangerBlackPotter-**


	2. Chapter 2: A fortiori

_AUTHOR'S NOTE:_

 _Wow! I was overwhelmed by the love the first chapter received. Okay, so, first I would like to apologize that it took me more than a week to update this. I had a previous chapter up for posting but it kept getting lost mid-thought and I don't think that it would be a good follow up. Anyway, I'll post that chapter eventually on my tumblr if anyone wants to see the alternative chapter for this but not now as I'm actually at the end of my shift and I'll be having my midterms exams starting next week for the next two weeks. I hope I've written satisfactorily at least._

 _I do hope you'll enjoy this chapter and let me know if you have any ideas for future chapters! Thanks for reading and of course, disclaimer that my main language is NOT English and I don't own Harry Potter._

 **Chapter 2: A fortiori**

" _April 7, 1979."_

That's what they said the _exact date_ was.

She found it funny, at the time, considering that's what she was first greeted by when she woke up with a sore body a few nights ago.

She heard them introduce themselves as Abraxas and Freja Malfoy, the lord and lady of the house. Apparently, she was sent back from the past to the future and was sent back here, _in time,_ where she is supposed to be 19 – her correct age, in _any timeline_.

They told her about a family curse.

Of incidents.

Of glamours.

Of curses.

Of _family_.

They told her that she was family – _their_ family.

 _Mia Alessandra Malfoy._

She was a Malfoy.

A _Malfoy._

A _pureblood_.

Lucius Malfoy's _sibling_.

She _burned_ at _that_ idea.

She's back in time, family to the very same people who wanted her dead in the future, carrying the protection of the sentient house where she apparently grew up in… where she was, coincidentally, tortured in… it was _too much_.

It took her four days to stop _crying_.

Two more days to stop _grimacing_.

And one more day to stop _flinching_.

She keeps on flinching.

For her part though, she hasn't spoken a word to them, except when the house elf, named Tilly, was cleaning her wounds gasped and softly asked her who dared carved the nasty slur on her skin.

She stared at her _apparent_ mother and then at her _apparent_ father before saying, "Bellatrix". The two elder Malfoys left shortly after that, the woman openly crying beside a seething man whose eyes glinted dangerously.

They wanted to know _when_ she was before being sent back – she wasn't in this timeline, they knew, because they were looking for her since she left.

"Lucius is on his honeymoon and will be coming home with his wife in a fortnight," Freja Malfoy told her one morning.

She still wasn't speaking to them.

She was still reluctant to admit that everything they've told her is real, although evidence keeps proving otherwise.

She did the paternity spell herself.

Once.

 _Twice._

 _Five_ times.

It _never_ changed.

She was Mia Alessandra _Malfoy_ , daughter to Freja and Abraxas _Malfoy_ and sibling to Lucius _Malfoy_ – she was a _Malfoy_ and she didn't even know it.

'If only that bouncing ferret could see me now,' she mused absentmindedly as she looked at her reflection.

She _changed._

Her riotous brown curls for a hair, that was her most recognizable feature, is now tamed, almost sleeked blonde – 'We even had the same color for hair,' she added bitterly as she thought of all the severing charms she could think of, wanting to shave off her head so she wouldn't _see_ the color on _her_.

Her golden brown eyes are now silver – almost blue.

Her body remained the same though.

Her mind remained intact too.

Her _memories_ – no, she's happy that those are staying, if only to honor her friends who she's most definitely never see.

'And even if they'll be alive in a few years, Harry James Potter won't be _MY_ Harry James Potter and Ronald Billius Weasley won't be _MY_ Ronald Billius Weasley,' she thought, pained at the very idea but resigned all the same.

"I love you" she whispered to the wind one evening, as she tried to remember all her friends.

She'll miss them – but she's Hermione Jean Granger – well, Mia Alessandra Malfoy, but she won't acknowledge it just yet, for the mean time, she'll live her life as Hermione Jean Granger, Muggleborn who was sent back in time to save everyone – it's the only way she could live for herself.

By using all the information from the future, she'll make a world where none of where she comes from will come to be.

'And if this is the correct timeline for me, then it was meant to be,' she thought finally, justifying what she's been planning to do since that fateful morning of waking up.

She noted that the woman, her mother, hasn't left yet – she never did leave her until she absolutely has to, which translates to an hour just before midnight, when Lord Malfoy collects her for bed.

She thought absently about what she said, something about Lucius and his wife coming back from their honeymoon and how he hasn't an idea that she's already returned to them.

She heard a sigh from beside her and knew that the woman's time was almost up.

She decided to break her silence.

It was almost time after all.

"I'd like to meet Regulus Arcturus Black, I want to speak to him," she said as she stared at the woman beside her who, she noted, almost jumped up from shock after hearing the sound of her voice, clearly not expecting her to answer.

She saw the woman's eyes fill with tears which flowed freely as she beamed a most radiant smile – _pity_ , that it's lost on her, as she has no false idea to get close to them whatsoever at the moment.

She, after all, _knew_ where this family's loyalty _lie_ – or to _whom_.

Voldemort – no, Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr., she'll always refer to his real name, after all, _her blood_ was apparently more pure than _his_.

She could still remember her disgust when she found out from Tilly, the elf who found her sprawled and bathing in her own blood in the middle of the grand hall of Malfoy Manor that fateful evening when she was _sent back._

She remembered asking where she was and upon recognizing the room despite the swelling around her eyes, she asked the elf where were the Death Eaters – she hasn't gotten a reply from the elf though, as it popped away and she passed out.

When she came to, the first thing she noticed was the overwhelming headache she had – like she'd been hit by a truck, repeatedly, and then the soft mattress she was laid to, then the silhouette of a man and a woman in the darkened room. When they stepped into the light, she saw how they held each other and walking towards her as if it pained them – it did, of course, probably since they've met the child they've been looking for for the most part of their lives.

13 years – there's probably a s _ignificance_.

13 years since Voldemort became a _real threat_ for Harry at the end of their second year.

13 years of Sirius getting _incarcerated_ in Azkaban.

And 13 years before she was sent back to her _original_ timeline.

There probably is something about the number 13, but she doesn't know what, nor does she care at the moment. What she wants to know, right now, is how to fight in this godforsaken timeline she woke up to.

 **1979.**

The time when it all began.

She knew that in a few months Lily Potter nee Evans will be pregnant with Harry James Potter, just as she knew that Molly Weasley nee Prewett and Alice Longbottom nee Meadows will be pregnant with Ronald Billius Weasley and Neville Frank Longbottom respectively in a few months too – even the exact date of their children's birth, she knew, because that's who she _grew up with_ , their _children_ , not _them_.

She also knew, however, that just in a few months, Regulus Arcturus Black will give up his life to retrieve one of Riddle's horcrux – Slytherin's locket, of course, she'll never let it happen now, in fact, she decided, that he'll be the first one she'll be saving.

A Death Eater who turned for the light, in the end, is a man of honor still.

So she asked.

"Re-Regulus? You knew him at your time?," the lady of the house asked through tear filled eyes. When the woman noticed that she won't be answering anything or saying anything else, she shook her head and just gave in.

"Regulus is in his last week in school – Hogwarts, of course, and he'll be coming back in just a few weeks," she heard the Lady Malfoy say but upon noticing her blank stare, she amended, "But maybe I can talk to Walburga about sending a letter to Dumbledore, get him to sign a letter so he could directly go here at the Mano –"

"I'd like to leave this place. I want a flat of my own" she cut her off then, without so much as a preamble.

"I'd like to meet and stay with Regulus at a flat in London, I'll only talk to him, until then" she ended as she turned away from the woman who was trying to process what she said, still.

She could feel her stare, but she doesn't care. She said her piece, she doesn't want to talk to anyone right now until she figures out what she'll be doing in this timeline.

Her plan is simple, contact Regulus, then Auror Moody, then if possible, Sirius – get the Black brothers in the good graces of each other so Regulus could be more perceptive when she finally gave him her proposal of hunting horcruxes with her, and possible spying, also, so Sirius could be spared from the pain of not knowing her brother fought for the light in the end.

Moody, she'd contact Moody and not Dumbledore because she knew Dumbledore, no matter how great of a wizard he was, is still just a man, prejudiced of a name no matter the circumstance – she knew the man would take advantage of her knowledge or even hide them, for the greater good.

No.

There would be no Dumbledore in her plan.

If she wants to save people then she might as well contact Moody, the most paranoid Auror in all wizarding Britain, who would probably interrogate her to death until he finds out everything that needs to be found out – and he'd actually try to help her, _as equals._

She needed Moody.

She heard a sigh from somewhere behind her, so she knew that Lady Malfoy finally gave up on her, _for tonight._

She heard the door opened and clicked closed, but not until she heard the woman mutter something about everything being done tomorrow and how happy she was that at least she's letting them choose which flat she'd live at.

She said it was a start.

It isn't.

Not until she figures out where exactly does everything lie in this family.

Until then, she'll reserve judgment.


	3. Chapter 3: Quid pro quo

_**A/N: Everyone! You guys are awesome and adorable! Thank you for your support for this story~ I would like to apologize, first of all, that I wasn't able to update immediately. As I previously mentioned, the last two weeks was my exam period and the auditor at work, kept visiting, making us very busy writing and presenting reports. Finally, as you all know, I can't answer your question if you commented as "Guest" so I reckon I'll just answer it here.**_

 _Guest:_ _Is she not even going to try to turn the Malloys away from Voldemort? Even if she feels no connection to them and hates Lucius for being a Death Eater, THEY love her, and they'd probably do anything she wants because they're so happy to have their daughter back. And even if she finds them distasteful, she could use their influence and money and power in the fight against Voldemort. She can't be picky if she wants the war to end as soon as possible! Plus, all she'd have to do is elaborate on her torture. Seems like all she told them was that it was Bellatrix? But if she mentions that Lucius and his wife and son watched and did nothing to help her, I think the guilt alone would push them to fight against Voldemort._

 _Answer: You see, I don't think forgiving them immediately is a response that Hermione would have. Realize that she literally just lost everyone she ever loved – and the Malfoy's, in a way, understood that at a certain extent, that's why they aren't forcing her to say or do anything. This is something that Hermione has to deal with by herself first. Trauma is exhausting. Self-blame is natural. For now, she doesn't want to be associated to them – someone will fix that, don't worry. Also, really, don't worry, Hermione is a Malfoy after all. A girl who was supposed to be in Slytherin as was proven by her cunningness to get information in any way (Polyjuice, second year? Setting a Professors robes on fire, first year? Marietta Edgecomb? Need I go on?) and ambition to win – to always come out on top of every situation. Believe me, everyone will have a glow up on their character. This is a slowburn type of story if I hadn't warned you guys yet._

 _ **That's it.**_

 _ **Oh, this chapter is mainly written from the POV of Regulus and the Malfoys. Also, for the one who asked, I'm taking up law in Uni. I took up Business Management as a pre-law course and after graduating, I took a two year break before taking up law. I'm in third year now!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading and enjoy this chapter!**_

* * *

 _Dearest Regulus,_

 _We have received a letter from Lady Malfoy. She has requested your presence at Malfoy Manor tomorrow at the earliest. She expressed the urgency of the matter, and your father and I are convinced that this is more likely, a summon from the Dark Lord, as Freja did not include any indication as to the reason for this immediate summon. She also explicitly mentioned that you are not to return to Hogwarts thereafter, except for your Graduation which we will be in attendance so you must be at your utmost behavior, befitting a man of your station._

 _In that regard, we wrote a letter to the Headmaster to allow you to leave directly from your Head of House's office to get to Malfoy Manor before lunch tomorrow. We both know that when the time comes, you will make our House proud._

 _Love,_

 _Mother_

He's read the letter four times now.

He could almost recite the entire letter at this point.

He could even hear his mother's shrill voice as he read it.

His sweaty palms smudged some of the writing and all the corners of the letter was creased from how many times he opened and closed the letter, trying to decipher if the words written were indeed _still there._

'This is a nightmare' he thought as he paced outside of Professor Slughorn's office. Professor Slughorn was the Head of House of Slytherin. A very capable potioneer and a very good instructor and confidante – his only downside, if any, was his love for collecting people. Collecting, meaning, he's been obsessed to meet and be acquainted to anyone whose anyone and those who he saw potential for greatness.

Of course, he'd been part of that _collector's item_ since he stepped into Hogwarts, with his family name belonging to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, and brother to Sirius Black, a marauder from the House of the Lions who excels at transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts – he was watched very closely and _much more_ closely after he donned the Professor's own House colors.

"Professor Slughorn" he called as he knocked, as soon as he heard the bell indicating the hour just before lunch. When he was given permission to enter, he walked in quietly and closed the door without so much as a squeak. When he saw the professor's face, however, he winced as he knew an interrogation is forth coming.

"Regulus! My dear boy! How wonderful to see you!" the professor greeted him enthusiastically.

"Of course, I believe you're here to use my floo – the Headmaster sent me a note after breakfast this morning that you are to be allowed to leave the premises of the castle for some urgent matter for the House of Black" the old professor egged on.

"Of course, if there's any matter of great importance, you would tell me, wouldn't you?" Slughorn ended as he was appraised with cunning eyes – too bad for the old man though, _he_ was also _sorted into Slytherin_ , besides the fact that _he really doesn't know_ either the reason for the summon, so he just gave a sort of smile to the professor and reached out for the floo powder.

"Thank you for accommodating my House, Professor, I shall never forget this… _pass_ " he acknowledged the old man, who preened at his words as he bowed. With that, he took a handful of floo powder, threw it on the fireplace and stepped in as he said where he intended to be – and with a cloud of cold green flames, he was gone.

* * *

"Abraxas, what if she refuses to talk to us forever? What if something really bad happened from where she was?" Freja asked her husband for the nth time as she paced in the green sitting room in front of him.

"You remember what she said about her scar?" she implored, "She said Bellatrix did it! Could it be the same Bellatrix we know?"

Her voice was rising in volume, she knew that.

She was distressed; she knew that, as well.

But she can't stop herself.

Every time she is reminded that her daughter came back to them after years and years of waiting and searching, battered, broken and clearly holds them at arms-length, trepidation clearly shining through her eyes.

 _It hurts._

She was her _mother_ – her daughter should never be afraid of _her_.

 _It hurts._

She and Abraxas were up early that morning and awaiting the arrival of the youngest Black who they will personally escort to the flat they moved Hermione into. Their daughter insisted that she moved that morning, not even bothering to dine with them for breakfast – not that it mattered, she hasn't dined with them yet since she arrived. When she told Abraxas of what their daughter asked for last night when she retired for bed, she could tell her husband worried immensely whether or not to relent to her without question to somehow gain her favor or would it be imposition on his part to ask about her plans.

As Paterfamilia, he needs to know if it would affect their House after all.

Their unwed daughter living alone with a man who is not her betrothed – brother, in fact, to her betrothed – he gritted his teeth as if already bracing for the scandal it would ensue.

'How will our family be perceived?' he thought in a daze, as his wife went on about him talking to his _contacts_ immediately as she promised their daughter that it shall be done by tomorrow morning.

He fought her, but only just. He told her of her of his worries but his wife just brushed his worries aside and told him sternly that she wants her daughter back – and that, if their daughter somehow does something that would be detrimental for their House, then, they shall deal with it when the time comes, as family.

That shut him up.

He wanted their daughter back too. And if this is how they would slowly get her to at least hear their side or for her to slowly open up to them, then a scandal to their House would be a small price to pay if he could get his family back.

His mind then drifted to his eldest son, Lucius. It pained him and his wife that they couldn't talk to their son about his little sister coming home and their decisions that led them to today – family, above everything else, is the single most important thing for them. They knew that Lucius is still looking for his sister – the reason why he joined the Death Eaters together with him, was to help him find her within the death eater ranks. If their lord has somehow mentioned it to anyone, it was Lucius who would know.

But look at them now – he and his wife unable to communicate properly to both their children, and their children… he sighed, one can only hope that this would not lead to their fall.

He's just grasping at straws and hoping for the best.

He hasn't even thought about the Dark Lord's reaction yet.

'If he finds out…' he cut off mid-thought as he watched the moon unseeing.

His nightmare started the day he found out they were having a daughter – and it continues on. The curse on their family promised that their daughter would always be plagued by death and _darkness_. Do they take part in it? Better yet, had they _unknowingly_ took part in it?

Just as his musings were spiraling towards a darker path, the floo activated, pushing out the youngest Black with his head held high carrying out his usual air of importance. The men in the room bowed to each other and Regulus took Freja Malfoy's right hand in his and kissed the back of it before he turned fully to the two elder Malfoys to address the issue.

"You've asked for my presence Lord Malfoy?" he heard Regulus asked apprehensively.

"Indeed" he answered.

Silence fell between them until Freja asked him to take a seat.

"We called you here for a favor," he heard his wife say after a while.

"Know, however, that we need your whole commitment and cooperation for this – we need you to agree – " he cut himself mid speech when he saw the worry etched into the face of young Black before he continued, "We need you to take a wizard's oath that what will we confide to you will not leave this room."

There was another pause that fell within the group.

* * *

After a while, Regulus did. He swore on his magic to keep the secret of House Malfoy until they felt it necessary to divulge the secret themselves.

The older Malfoys looked subdued and a bit melancholic, in Regulus' opinion after that. He came to Malfoy Manor bracing himself of the presence of Death Eaters and the Dark Lord himself but arrived to a scene that is definitely welcome, however, he felt out of depth with the atmosphere.

"What is it then?" he said after a while.

It took another minute, however, before he saw Lady Malfoy open her mouth as if to speak, before stopping herself and turned her head instead to look the other way, letting Lord Malfoy to speak for them both instead.

"Our daughter came back to us about a month ago" he heard the elder man say which made his eyebrows raise at the words. But before he could ask the question floating in his head, however, the older man continued, "You, your brother, young Lupin and young Potter – none of you four may remember her, but we, the elders, I mean - we do," and stopped as if for effect before stating, "The House of Malfoy has an heiress. Her name – her name is Mia Alessandra Malfoy, the first born daughter of the House of Malfoy since eleven generations ago."

"The House of Malfoy, because of an ancestors transgression, was cursed by a hag. The curse tells that the next daughter of the House shall fall in time and suffer immense pain and be shadowed by death –" he must've looked stunned as the elder Malfoy stopped to stare at him and gauge his reaction so far, he gave him a nod, not trusting his voice yet to speak – the story that the older Malfoy is talking seems to be bringing about glimpses of memories that he felt detached to.

He listened to Abraxas Malfoy talk about the apparent heiress of the House.

How they were desperate, after the birth of Mia Alessandra, to tie her to powerful families.

How they chose the Blacks to wed her to, and the Potters and the Lupins to associate her with.

How the families become close – almost spending every summer and most holidays together.

How nobody knew she was alive except the four families to not tempt fate.

And how, in the end, fate got to them anyway, that fateful morning of Mia's sixth birthday.

He was told of the horrible events that happened from start to finish. From how he, his brother and his brother's friends were obliviated of memories about her to how they allied themselves to the Dark Lord because as a powerful descendant of one of the founders and a parselmouth, they were promised of help they would otherwise could not get and then finally, they got to the part where she returned to them.

"She specifically asked for you and requested you move in with her personally without our interference," Lord Malfoy finished as he stood up and walked towards the window.

He was a bit speechless, and a bit taken aback. Of course it should be taken into consideration that the elder Malfoys just told him that they performed mind magic on him, his brother and his brother's friends and their elders consorted to it.

'So those three were always destined to be friends then' he thought offhandedly as his thoughts started drifting elsewhere.

'Impossible,' were his first reaction, his second being that of genuine curiosity. He couldn't explain it, but he felt the truancy of the elders words, after all, who would go to lengths to web up a story about one's House being sullied by a curse, not to mention, he remembered being six and visiting this Manor, his father and his mother talking to these people in hushed tones – he could vaguely remember the presence of more adults and he wonders, if those were perhaps the Potters and the Lupins before they turned their back to each other.

'Was this the reason mother was always bitter towards his brother?' he thought as he almost missed the question thrown to him by the Lady of the House.

"Would you do it then? Would you meet with our girl? Would you be there for her?"

"I'm at your disposal" he told them.

And really, at that point, he couldn't possibly think of a better answer than what he gave. After all, it appealed to his nature both as a Black and as a Slytherin to know about this lost heiress who apparently knew him from wherever she came from enough to personally ask for him.

It's time to clear some air.


End file.
